"Every new law is a lost freedom."
It's true JR, but the other extreme is anarchy. Surely, the law against knocking fellow citizens on the head and taking their belongings is probably a good one.
The problems is what you and others were implying that rather than relying on a simple set of sensible laws current governments (including mine in Australia) keep tinkering with the details and create an overly complicated and cumbersome system where the original intention is more or less lost.
If the basic principle of the law is correct and it is clearly defined, there shouldn't be a need to update laws just because a new technology came around. A good example is privacy. If privacy is breached, it shouldn't matter what technology is used effect it.
Another problem is the "law industry" where the more complicated the law system is, the better opportunities it presents for them. It's not hard to imagine (or see!) the result.

I think it's also fair to say, the implications are never easily predictable for that exact reason, so we need a system that can react and change. It's futile to think you can examine all outcomes. A gridlocked system is not productive in the long run. It will require contuned cooperation between goverment and industry leaders.

@Daryl.H, indeed you're correct. But how do we square that in a time when technology moves at a pace that far outraces the ability of the legislative and executive branches to consider its implications. Still good? (Thanks for writing, by the way!).

Grid lock is good. The founding fathers wanted the government to move slow. From my point of view, the slower the better. We have so many laws that the normal citizen cannot step out of their front door without breaking the law. These CEO’s that go to the Washington trough to get money or “special favors” is ridiculous. Lobbyists are a part of our republic but having a grid locked government prevents more stupid legislation. Sure wish we would have had grid lock when the Obamacare bill came forward, how many more jobs would have been created without that load stone around small businesses neck. Again grid lock is good… very good…..